Bible Question:
Did Jesus visit Hell when he died on the cross to preach his good news to him? |
Bible Answer: In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison,[33] 1 Peter 3:19 New English Translation 33 study note. 'And preached to the spirits in prison. The meaning of this preaching and the spirits to whom he preached are much debated. It is commonly understood to be: '(1) Christ's announcement of his victory over evil to the fallen angels who await judgment for their role in leading the Noahic generation into sin; this proclamation occurred sometime between Christ's death and ascension; or '(2) Christ's preaching of repentance through Noah to the unrighteous humans, now dead and confined in hell, who lived in the days of Noah. 'The latter (2) is preferred because of the temporal indications in v. 20a and the wider argument of the book. These verses encourage Christians to stand for righteousness and try to influence their contemporaries for the gospel in spite of the suffering that may come to them. All who identify with them and their Savior will be saved from the coming judgment, just as in Noah's day.' (www.netbible.com) |